Carolina BBQ Festival 2025 celebrates whole hog barbecue and the Carolinas’ rich barbecue traditions while supporting charitable causes providing food relief and comfort to neighbors in their times of greatest need: Operation BBQ Relief and Hungry Heroes.
The 2025 festival dates are April 4-5 at Victoria Yards in Charlotte. Part of the Charlotte Shout for the second year, Carolina BBQ Festival is a perfect addition to the month-long spotlight on art, music, food, and ideas in the Queen City’s uptown.
Expect Carolina BBQ Festival 2025 to be a combination of classically trained cookery and daring entrepreneurs alongside families with traditions passed down generations.
That led to fantastic barbecue bites in 2024: whole hog, beef rib sliders, hash and rice, smoaked pastrami, beef birria tacos … and whatever that shrimp thing Tank was cooking. Expect just as much variety in 2025.
The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is excited to be the official podcast for the Carolina BBQ Festival – stay tuned for pitmaster interviews coming in February!
Subscribe to The Lowdown Carolina barbecue newsletter and follow the Carolina BBQ Festival Instagram page for event announcements.
Keep reading for more details about the 2025 Carolina BBQ Festival:
- What is the Carolina BBQ Festival – where, when, tickets.
- Carolina BBQ Festival pitmasters: Coming January 15, 2025!
- Charities supported by Carolina BBQ Festival.
- Festival music line-up.
Buy tickets before they sell out! Complete details featured below.
What is the 2025 Carolina BBQ Festival?
Carolina BBQ Festival is April 4-5, 2025, at Victoria Yards and the adjacent parking lot in Charlotte, NC (209 East 7th Street). Started in 2022, the annual spring event showcases the best barbecue samples from pitmasters primarily based in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Lewis Donald, fire tender and owner of Sweet Lew’s Barbecue in Charlotte, launched the event to raise money and awareness for barbecue-connected charities. In 2025 the #BBQforaCause mission festival supports Operation BBQ Relief and Hungry Heroes.
Carolina BBQ Festival occurs over two days: The Kickoff on Friday evening the Saturday afternoon BBQ festival of pitmasters and vendors.
The Kickoff
Friday, April 4, 6-10 p.m.: The “ultimate BBQ” pre-game” the evening before the festival with BBQ bites of certified Angus beef. Hang out with the pitmasters and watch the behind-the-scenes building of the brick pits. Experience the Carolina BBQ culture up close and personal.
The Festival
Saturday, April 5, 12-4 p.m. (VIP access at 11 a.m.): The Carolina’s biggest barbecue festival experience with the best bites from 15+ pitmasters, live music, and vendor fair Uptown Charlotte.
See the event FAQ for additional details:
- What to expect.
- Parking.
- Festival access.
- Lodging suggestions – get booked with exclusive lodging.
Purchase early bird tickets for discounted package deals. Stay tuned for discount codes for Low & Slow Barbecue Show listeners.
Pitmasters for the 2025 Carolina BBQ Festival
Carolina BBQ Festival announces pitmasters for 2025 on Jan. 15. Check back here for the latest additions as they are announced.
Expect the 2025 list to include many pitmasters from the 2024 lineup listed below. Click links to access the barbecue business website, or Low & Slow Barbecue Show podcast interviews and blogs.
Carolina BBQ Festival 2024 Pitmasters:
- Matthew Register, Southern Smoke BBQ | Podcast | Blog + Collard Green Chowder Recipe.
- Elliott Moss, Elliot’s Florence
- Robbie Robinson, City Limits Barbecue | Podcast
- Brandon Shepard, Shepard Barbecue | Podcast | Blog
- Dylan Cooke, Fork Grove Barbecue | Podcast | Blog
- Tank Jackson, Holy City Hogs | Podcast | Blog
- Jake Wood, Lawrence Barbecue | Podcast | Blog
- Keith Henning, Black Powder Smokehouse | Podcast | Blog
- Lewis Donald, Sweet Lew’s BBQ | Podcast
- Garren Kirkman, Jon G’s Barbecue | Podcast | Blog
- Ken & Jess Hess, County Smoak | Podcast
- Joel Easton, Easton Barbecue Co. | Podcast | Blog
- Ronald Simmons, Master Blend Family Farms | Podcast | Blog + Recipe for Master Blend Sausage Rolls.
#BBQforaCause Fuels the Festival
Festival founder Lewis Donald started the event to support his community.
“One of my biggest goals has always been to give back, and that is not always easy as a small business owner,” he told me before the 2023 festival. “What I’ve done is try to enlist a bunch of friends to help me give back to our communities.”
Over the past two years, the festival has raised more than $30,000 for various charities that feed and support Carolina communities. The 2025 charities make sure food is available during times of greatest need.
Operation BBQ Relief
Operation Barbecue Relief provided 1.3 million meals following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in Florida and especially Western North Carolina. Started in 2011 after tornadoes destroyed Joplin, MO, the organization has served more than 12 million meals throughout the United States. During “blue sky days” Camp OBR and The Always Serving Project create additional opportunities for Operation BBQ Relief to serve veterans and emergency responders. Click here for The Low & Slow Barbecue Show podcast interview with Operation BBQ Relief Founder Stan Hays and Carolina BBQ Festival Founder Lewis Donald.
Hungry Heroes
Hungry Heroes shows gratitude for the services of first responders, military personnel, and veterans by providing barbecue. Hungry Heroes holds dozens of events nationwide yearly to raise awareness, respond to community tragedy, and “spread love through a little smoke and sauce.” Discover how Hungry Heroes serves with heart and flavor in the blog. Click here for The Low & Slow Barbecue Show podcast interview with Hungry Heroes Founder Amanda Riggan.
Support these charities by attending the 2025 Carolina Barbecue Festival April 5-6 at Victoria Yards in Charlotte.
Festival Music Line-up for 2025
Check back for the complete 2025 festival line up as it is announced.
Expect entertainment live music and a DJ Friday evening, plus a full line-up Saturday afternoon.
The Carolina BBQ Festival Official Podcast
The Low & Slow Barbecue Show is delighted to be the official podcast of the Carolina BBQ Festival. Soon we’ll share exclusive new interviews with pitmasters, organizers, and charities – stay tuned!
Low & Slow has been involved with the festival since 2023 when we captured on-the-scene interviews with the pitmasters. Last year, our involvement expanded and we continue to fine-tune the ways we celebrate Carolina pitmasters.
Don’t miss our pit-side interviews from the 2024 BBQ Festival on our new YouTube channel. Subscribe to the channel – https://www.youtube.com/@LowSlowBarbecueShow – and get the latest interviews and content from the 2025 Carolina BBQ Festival.
2025 Carolina BBQ Festival Tickets
Buy tickets for access to 5+ pounds of food from 15+ Carolina pitmasters, live music, and local barbecue vendors. Single-day and two-day tickets are available – at an Early Bird Discount for a limited time.
The festival is family-friendly, and children under age 10 are admitted free.
- The Kickoff Friday tickets – $35: BBQ buffet, 2 drink tickets, live music + DJ.
- The Festival General Admission tickets – $75: Tastings from 15+ BBQ pitmasters, access to live music + DJ, vendor shopping, sponsor activations, raffle & #BBQforaCause, shop exclusive 2025 Carolina BBQ Festival swag.
- The Festival VIP – $125: General admission benefits, 3 drink tickets, VIP area + oysters + seafood boil, early VIP access. $10 voucher for festival merch.
Piglet tickets – $0: Children under age 10 receive free admission.
Tickets for the rain-or-shine event are non-refundable.
Visit the Carolina BBQ Festival ticket site for pricing and to reserve your tickets.
Be sure to listen to The Low & Slow Barbecue Show for discount codes for 2025 Carolina BBQ Festival tickets.
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